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LAHORE: A PIA flight attendant has slipped away in Canada and reportedly sought asylum there, it emerged on Tuesday. Fareeha Mukhtar was part of the crew on a PIA flight from Lahore to Toronto last week, a PIA official told Dawn.

“On its scheduled return to the country, Ms Mukhtar did not turn up [in Toronto] and the flight of the national flag carrier had to proceed without her,” he said, adding that the PIA administration had launched an inquiry into the incident after suspending her from service.

According to a source, the attendant was suspended a few years ago as well for her alleged involvement in smuggling mobile phones and foreign currency. "She was banned from flying on international flights, but somehow managed to get the Toronto flight last week and slipped away upon reaching there."

Athar Awan, the spokesperson for PIA, told Dawn that Ms Mukhtar had been suspended and a show-cause letter sent to her. “An inquiry into the matter has been ordered and the PIA is pursuing the matter with Canadian authorities.”

When his attention was drawn to reports that Fareeha Mukhtar had sought asylum in Canada, he said he had no information.

Comments (69) Closed

Just an air hostess ! There are dozens of government officials who had committed fraud of billions have moved to Canada including Somoroo brothers and Manzoor Kadir aka Manzoor Kaka !

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Zia

Sep 19, 2018 08:27am

She should have been charged for the crime back in Pakistan. No criminal be granted asylum in my great country.

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Taimur

Sep 19, 2018 08:31am

How did she get on the flight ? The person responsible should be jailed and sacked.

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reality bites

Sep 19, 2018 08:40am

she is a criminal and should be dealt with accordingly.

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Rohail

Sep 19, 2018 08:44am

What a shame. Whoever was/were behind helping her to escape from Pakistan appeared to be powerful people.

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Khan Pakistani

Sep 19, 2018 08:44am

PIA mgmt should be fired

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Bill

Sep 19, 2018 08:47am

Asylum from strict PIA rules?

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Omar

Sep 19, 2018 08:47am

Send all of her illegal activities report to asylum judge please .

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Sajjad

Sep 19, 2018 09:09am

Yes PIA administration and their employees are a joke. This institution must be revised, cut their incentives, pull up their socks.

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Shah

Sep 19, 2018 09:31am

Shameful act from the PIA flight attendant.

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citizen

Sep 19, 2018 09:41am

All PIA crew going abroad shall be accomodated only in our embassey guest houses under strict surveillance to avoid recurrence of similar events which tarnish the image of our islamic republic...

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Satish Iyer

Sep 19, 2018 09:42am

Good for her. What future she has in Pakistan ?

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Desi

Sep 19, 2018 09:51am

Very misfortune decision by this lady. She had a nice paying job and she kicked it for seeking fake asylum. Pakistan government should pursue Canadian government that she was a criminal and was involved in smuggling so she should be deported back to Pakistan to face courts.

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Tariq

Sep 19, 2018 09:53am

How PIA still operating with tainted crew. It is absolute non-sense and Government should ground any crew alleged to have been in charged any wrong doing.

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Mudassir Hussain Azeemabadi

Sep 19, 2018 10:04am

PIA will keep embarrassing us in one way or other.

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Nasr

Sep 19, 2018 10:05am

Since very old times corrupt employees still remains one of the biggest dilemma for PIA.

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MrAli

Sep 19, 2018 10:11am

News?

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Zak

Sep 19, 2018 10:15am

‘When his attention was drawn to reports that Fareeha Mukhtar had sought asylum in Canada, he said he had no information.’

Appoint Ex Air Chief Sohail Aman as Head of PIA to clean it up. PIA is becoming a bus service.

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Zak

Sep 19, 2018 10:16am

‘According to a source, the attendant was suspended a few years ago as well for her alleged involvement in smuggling mobile phones and foreign currency. ’

And she was still allowed to continue working. Shameful.

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khanm

Sep 19, 2018 10:17am

seeking asylum after being involved in a criminal act... and she somehow managed to scape... speaks volumes...Every experience is a paradox in that it means to be absolute, and yet is relative; in that, it somehow always goes beyond itself and yet never escapes itself

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MAK

Sep 19, 2018 10:35am

Please fire those responsible of put her on this flight inspite of her criminal record they surely knew 'clever clogs' intentions they are partners in crime

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Shah

Sep 19, 2018 10:39am

The person who scheduled her on a flight should be fired and all those who over looked her being put on the flight should be terminated that is the only way these politically recruited employees will come to their senses.

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Sabir Pakistani

Sep 19, 2018 10:48am

Such a embarrassment. Bring her to Pakistan and fired her.

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Ash2000

Sep 19, 2018 10:51am

Canada please deport her if she has been involved in smuggling, etc. in the past.

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Sadaat

Sep 19, 2018 10:52am

Am surprised as someone with such blemish record was assigned on an international flight. Please conduct an enquiry against the same official. PIA is in complete mess and require overhaul and reorganisation, before privitization.

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Tamza

Sep 19, 2018 10:53am

If she was ‘convicted’ of smuggling, and had no ‘safety’ or ‘fear of persecution’ her asylum app will be rejected.

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Mrs.khalil

Sep 19, 2018 10:59am

Western countries should rethink about their asylum policy. Corrupt and criminals got asylum on the name of human rights

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TS

Sep 19, 2018 11:02am

Step 1: Steal, cheat, manipulate, lie
Step 2: Seek asylum

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Manoj

Sep 19, 2018 11:03am

Obviously, there's complicity within PIA.

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ahmad alvi

Sep 19, 2018 11:08am

an individual's personal act must not be associated with the airlines name.

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Jalbani Baloch

Sep 19, 2018 11:18am

It is a shame for Pakistan that a serving government employee has slipped in Canada and has applied for asylum. The Govt. of Pakistan should take strong action and the get lady repatriated back to Pakistan.

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PHILOSOPHER (FROM JAPAN)

Sep 19, 2018 11:38am

When we can't extradite Mr. Ishaq Dar, Hassan, Hussain, AH, then this news is a kind of peanut if we compare with other bigwig fraudsters.

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Shazia

Sep 19, 2018 12:09pm

Had she worked honestly in her job, she would have been better off.

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AKB

Sep 19, 2018 12:09pm

It happens when you follow a PERCHI system during selections and appointments.

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Just Saying

Sep 19, 2018 12:19pm

There are always two sides to every story. Let us give her the benefit of doubt. That is how justice should work.

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Sid

Sep 19, 2018 12:34pm

She should be caught and deported ASAP - zero tolerance is required in such cases

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Asim

Sep 19, 2018 12:34pm

@Satish Iyer well said. Smugglers have no place in Pakistan.

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Asim

Sep 19, 2018 12:35pm

@Zak exactly my point. Just suspended and barred from int'l flights on charges of smuggling?

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Vishal Gaur

Sep 19, 2018 12:38pm

People can very well understand the security level of PIA.

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Amir Kami

Sep 19, 2018 12:43pm

Shame on her

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Saif Zulfiqar

Sep 19, 2018 12:47pm

Mismanagement has bankurupt PIA.

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ABE

Sep 19, 2018 12:57pm

No doubt she feared retribution for being part of the smuggling ring that is operating as PIA crew.

The incident last week where the Pilot and Steward were involved in an altercation (later suspected of being a smuggler) may have something to do with this incident too.

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Right voice

Sep 19, 2018 01:00pm

So after UK, Canada is the new home of runaway criminals.

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Skeptic

Sep 19, 2018 01:05pm

"the attendant was suspended a few years ago as well for her alleged involvement in smuggling mobile phones and foreign currency. "She was banned from flying on international flights, but somehow managed to get the Toronto flight last week and slipped away upon reaching there."

So who got paid either at PIA or FIA at the airport, or both??

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javed

Sep 19, 2018 01:20pm

She should be charged and convicted of high treason.

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Dr ejaz

Sep 19, 2018 01:23pm

@citizen what image?

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Zeeshandxb

Sep 19, 2018 01:31pm

Government should pay enough so that people think twice before conducting these kind of acts.

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Atif

Sep 19, 2018 02:29pm

This reflects so badly on the nation.

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MICHAEL ROSS

Sep 19, 2018 03:34pm

@Zia seriously.. Which great country are you talking about.???

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Iftikhar Husain

Sep 19, 2018 04:07pm

This is the easy way to hide your crime.

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Tariq, Lahore

Sep 19, 2018 04:27pm

Ho can flight attendant still be on any company's payroll who has a smuggling history!

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Sabir Pakistani

Sep 19, 2018 04:37pm

Eye opening for dying PIA

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Bakhti

Sep 19, 2018 07:47pm

Scheduling officers who authorised her to travel on international routes should be arrested and questioned as well.

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NeutraView

Sep 20, 2018 01:37am

After she was found to be involved in smuggling, why was she not terminated from service?

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Mk

Sep 20, 2018 05:30am

In USA, if any flight carrier caught with illegal in the flight coming to US or any crew member sliped in the country, the Customs and Border Protection Authority will confiscate the Aircraft of the carrier. That is why all the inbound carriers to USA will check all legality and visas or GC of all passenger from where the flight depart for USA.

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Lalajeee

Sep 20, 2018 05:01pm

Once she had committed a crime, how was she allowed to continue working in PIA. Of course she had connections.

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Masood(SW)

Sep 20, 2018 06:23pm

It is common knowledge in PIA that Athar Awan was having a very intimate relationship with Miss. Mukhtar. They were seen at a bunch of locations, very cozy. How convenient. I bet the next vacation that Mr. Awan takes will be to Canada.

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Devinder Chohan

Sep 20, 2018 07:14pm

@Zia You did not tell anybody which one is your great country

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Asif jamil

Sep 20, 2018 07:55pm

@Devinder Chohan

I think, he is talking about Canada. I have friends there, originally from the sub-continent, and they all sing praises of Canada. And why not? It is one of the best countries in the world to live in.

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Lohpurush

Sep 20, 2018 08:36pm

PIA should be privatized immediately

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Z-USA

Sep 20, 2018 08:38pm

Its ok, not a big deal. There are thousands of Pakistani government officials who have double nationality, so what if she claimed asylum.

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amir

Sep 20, 2018 10:01pm

i hear she was charged in 2015. And this is 2018. No action taken by PIA management for so long? Was she connected. As we live in the land of connection

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Ijaz

Sep 20, 2018 10:04pm

Why was she still working for PIA after committing serious offences?

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aamir

Sep 20, 2018 10:45pm

I think there are bigger problems to focus rather than one person seeking asylum in Canada. Pakistan is on the verge of not being able to pay its foreign debt, investors and tourists including foreign based Pakistanis avoid Pakistan due to lack of security. We also need to let the best people serve Pakistan irrespective of their religion

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PC

Sep 20, 2018 10:58pm

@Ash2000 but all allegations must be proved in Canadian Court first.If she proves that she was victimised, case may work in favour of her.She will be treated as victim.Human right law in Canada is too strong and such victimisation will be treated as violation of human rights.

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Lahori kid

Sep 20, 2018 11:21pm

Cancel her ID and passport, she'll turn up soon enough.

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gullu Badsha

Sep 21, 2018 07:32am

Confiscate all her property in Pakistan for giving a bad name to the country.

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thinker

Sep 21, 2018 07:57am

PIA will be profitable with reduced headcount if more people seek asylum elsewhere. PIA management should encourage this.